1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for applying fluids to a surface. More particularly, the present invention generally relates to an apparatus for applying fluids for cleaning, polishing or painting a surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many devices have been used for cleaning dust and dirt from a surface. Some such devices clean a surface by spraying a gas (e.g., compressed air) from an opening of a nozzle in a cleaning device. Other devices clean a surface by forcing a liquid, a powder, or a granular polishing agent through an opening of the device using a high-pressure air. Conventional device, therefore, tend to have a structure that uses high pressure air to push the cleaning fluid through a nozzle of the device.
Japanese Patent Publication No. JP11-123350 describes a device having a nozzle formed from a flexible cylindrical material. During use the nozzle moves in a circular pattern such that the fluid is ejected out in a pattern corresponding to the movement of the nozzle.
Japanese Patent Publication No. JP2000-51800 also describes a device having a nozzle formed from a flexible cylindrical material. During use the nozzle moves in a circular pattern such that the fluid is ejected out in a pattern corresponding to the movement of the nozzle. As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the device is equipped with a water supply source A, a compressed air source B, a detergent supply source C, a nozzle E, and conduits F1-F4 which couple the supply sources A, B, and C with nozzle E.
Compression air is sent into the water supply source A and the detergent supply source C by the compressed air source B. By operating a switch D coupled to nozzle E by conduit F4, the fluid in either of conduits F1, F2, or F3 is chosen and water, compressed air, or detergent may be ejected from nozzle E. The described apparatus of JP 2000-51800 relies on a structure that sends compressed air into a supply sources A and C to supply water or detergent with pressure to the nozzle E. The use a powered compressed air supply source B, a water supply source A and a detergent supply source C renders the device relatively large. Additionally, the device is in a gun-shaped form (E′). Because the device relies on three separate conduits F1-F3 to couple the supply sources with the structure E′, these conduits tend to make the gun shaped structure difficult to handle. Finally, to alter the fluid used in the device supply source A and/or C may need to be replaced.